The USA Today coaches' preseason poll was released Thursday to help all the NCAA football fans get ready for the start of the season. The Oklahoma Sooners begin the 2011-12 football season with a target on their back, claiming the top spot in the nation. They are followed by Alabama, Oregon, LSU, and Florida State. After the top five, the next SEC team on the list is South Carolina at 12. There are five more SEC teams in the top 25 (Arkansas, Auburn, Mississippi State, Georgia, and Florida) making 75% of the SEC starting out in the top 25 in the country.

Coming off an 8-5 season, The Florida Gators begin the preseason ranked 23rd, outside the Top 20 for the first time since 2003. That year, the Gators started 21st and finished 25th.